Mind the Gap

If you own property, whether personal or commercial, most likely you have a walkway or sidewalk, and most likely you are not checking the condition daily for cracks or gaps. If a person trips or falls on your property, you may be faced with a personal injury lawsuit with negligence being the cause of action.

In a recent court case, a woman fell outside of her apartment complex and was injured. She was walking on the sidewalk and stated that there was inadequate lighting and light snow. She then felt her foot move down into a depression in the ground adjacent to the sidewalk where she argued that there was a two-inch gap. She filed suit, claiming negligence on the Defendants part.

In Williamsburg, VA, a woman who slipped and fell while entering a corner gas and convenience store was awarded more than $12,200,000 in damages for negligence, which is one of the largest slip and fall settlements to date.

We can’t prevent everything. But we can prepare. You need to ask yourself… “Do I have enough liability coverage for an injury on my property?”. I hope so.